Ocean acoustic boundary characterization multi-national experiments

The condition of the sea surface and seabed boundaries of the ocean often significantly affect the characteristics of acoustic signal propagation, reverberation and noise particularly in shallow water. A series of collaborative experiments were conducted from 2000 to 2009 to better understand the impact of ocean boundary characteristics on ocean acoustic signals in the frequency range of 100 – 5000 Hz. Acoustic measurements included long-range (waveguide) propagation, reverberation, and clutter as well as measurements of local boundary reflection and scattering. These were supported by oceanographic, geophysical and geologic measurements. Experimental locations included the Tyrrhenian Sea, Straits of Sicily, the New Jersey shelf, and the Scotian shelf with collaborators from NATO-STO CMRE and national laboratories and institutions from Italy, Canada, France, and the US. This talk will provide an overview of some of the main results from these experiments. [Research sponsored by CMRE(NATO), ONR(US), NUWC(US), INGV(IT), SHOM(FR), DRDC(CA), Italian Navy(IT).]